


The Importance of Names

by AuntG



Series: The Importance of [4]
Category: Smallville
Genre: Babies, Cave-In, Caves, Fix-It, M/M, Reeves Dam, Spaceships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:29:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26695288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuntG/pseuds/AuntG
Summary: With the explosion at the cave, things go a little differently during the Summer of 2003. The Kent spend their summer either 'volunteering' (Clark) or caught up in frantic preparations for the baby's birth.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lex Luthor
Series: The Importance of [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678570
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	1. Sweat and Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is just for fun.
> 
> I should be able to update this very quickly as it's finished apart from some very minor edits. Would you prefer that I update daily or weekly?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kent spend their summer either 'volunteering' (Clark) or caught up in frantic preparations for the baby's birth. Then there's a leak...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Kent Lives!

Apart from the baby fever as they prepared for little Rosetta Kent's arrival, the summer of 2003 proved to be the most quiet one since Lex had entered Clark's life. 

Without any reported loss of life Clark's dad was unable to hold onto his anger, and his dad had eventually calmed down to the point that he simply punished Clark by making him do the grossest chores. After a week he even started to have conversations with his dad that weren't monosyllabic, and Clark knew he was forgiven.

That said, mom and dad still made him go to the caves and volunteer to help with the clean up. It was tiring and sweaty work, and he had to avoid the areas with kryptonite deposits. But it eased the guilt until it was no longer crushing him, and that almost made up for the fact that he barely got to see Lex anymore. Lex, of course, was returning gifts, cancelling reservations, and going through all the minutiae that's involved with a wedding getting called off. Since Clark's punishment meant that Clark couldn't be there for Lex as much as he wanted, Clark made a point of calling Tess and asking her to be the metaphorical shoulder Lex could cry on.

The explosion at the caves also meant that the Kawache people were picketing Luthercorp even before Lionel was out of the hospital. The lawsuit* that ensued would keep Lionel busy for the next month.

*****

Another unexpected event was that the explosion at the caves was close enough to the Reeves Dam for it to spring a leak. This would be important later.

*****

The day after Clark volunteered at the caves, Chloe showed up at his door looking uncertain.

Clark answered the door with just his undershirt on and a sweaty towel draped around his neck.

"Chloe!" Clark said, his smile beaming at her--he hated fighting with his friends and her absence had hurt.

She blushed.

"Clark, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry."

_Clark had spotted Chloe at the Talon and pulled her aside._

_"What is it, Clark?" Chloe said with a strange expression on her face. It should have been comical, since she had given herself a foam mustache, but somehow it just looked solemn._

_"Lana and I--"_

_"Did you toss a coin or do rock-paper-scissors?" Chloe said with her arms crossed._

_"Huh?"_

_"How did you decide which one of you was gonna tell me that you got together? I came over to the barn the other night to warn you about something and found you two in liplock."_

_"Chloe, we're not together." Clark said, annoyed by her assumption._

_"Yeah, right." Chloe said in a hurt tone. "Why do you keep lying to me about this?!?" Chloe said as she stormed off._

"You're sorry? You really aren't with her, and I accused you anyway." Chloe said, on the verge of tears.

"You talked to Lana then?"

Chloe nodded.

"I don't know if I can be what she needs me to be." Clark said with a hangdog expression.

Chloe tried to comfort him by rubbing his arm.

"Chloe, I don't know what I want. If it's Lana or L…" Clark said flustered. "But I love you like a sister and that's stronger than a fleeting romance."

"Can we still be friends?" Chloe said with a sniff.

"Always." Clark said and hugged her.

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Lex has hired a top of the line lawyer to represent the Kawache people in their lawsuit.
> 
> The next chapter will be titled Clarity.


	2. Clarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter involving Lana.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that it's a little OOC.

Having cleared the air with Chloe meant that he had to do the same with Lana, so the next day Clark went to the Talon to talk. He bought an expensive espresso only to be told that Lana had just stepped out. He sat at one of the tables and waited fifteen minutes for Lana to come back. Then he used his X-ray vision.

Two skeletons were writhing together in an intimate way.

Clark shut his eyes.

Stone faced, he got up and went around to wait by the back door.

It wasn't long before the door was opened by an overly cheerful Tyler, one of his former football teammates.

When he got home, he did what he always does after a visit with Lana; he went to bale hay and to muck stalls, he went to fix a loose board, he fed the chickens, he milked the cows, he punched a hole in the barn wall... And then he winced, thinking about Jonathan, so he went and repaired that hole in the wall.

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Given Clark's canonical waffling where it comes to Lana I thought it was necessary to give him incentive to make a clean break.
> 
> Next chapter is named Carousel. It was originally a stand alone story.


	3. Carousel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is purely a reflection. Clark is lying in his loft and thinking about his earliest memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter I wrote first.

Chapter 3: Carousel

After completing his chores Clark had calmed down, so he went up to the loft and laid back on the couch to do a little navel gazing:

Clark didn't remember much from before.

When he tried to think of his babyhood all he got was faint images of three people; a stern man with white hair--ukr--his father, a sad chestnut haired green eyed woman named Lara who was his mama ...and a happy young blonde named Carousel?

Clark shook his head. That couldn't be right.

Clark knew now, from the message that was deciphered by Dr. Swan, that his birth name was Kal-El and his father was Jor-El of the House of El on Krypton…

But that didn't seem to matter much when they were all dead--Except. Except that, he wasn't sure if that was true.

Clark clenched his fists, then counted slowly back from twenty until he was relaxed again.

He had a memory of, of being on the ship. He had been asleep and something woke him, he didn't know what. He looked out of the ship's tiny window and saw so many stars and another ship!

"Kal-El. Kal-El, can you hear me?" A thin, distant voice said. 

It sounded like Car--no, Cara--Karu? Anyway, it sounded like family…

Was the memory real? Why was there only one ship? Did Karu leave him? Did she crash into Smallville along with all the meteors and die a fiery death?!?

Clark shut his eyes to keep from triggering his power. After a moment he opened them again.

He'd wanted to ask his parents ever since they admitted he was an alien, because it meant that his memories--that he'd assumed were part of a fanciful imagination--were real. And yes, he was still angry about being lied about that.

But then he would look at his ma, and remember all the years of proud smiles because he was _her_ little boy… and the desire to know Carousel's fate would be replaced by doubt that she even ever existed. He knew that the reminders that he was adopted--the implication that he was less than happy and wanted to find his real family--would hurt her.

Clark sighed. He banged his head softly against the couch cushion.

So he'd dropped the issue. But now Lex knew. And Lex had resources, discretion, and a willingness to help Clark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Kara


	4. Smiles and Delegation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark pays Lex a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny chapter, but a sweet one... I miscounted this actually has 6 chapters.

Chapter 4: Smiles and Delegation

_The Next Day_

"Lex?" Clark said as he knocked on the door of Lex's home office. Lex finished signing something, put down his own, and stood up.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"No, Clark. I was getting bored anyway, so the distraction is wel--" Lex pressed a hand against his temple.

"Are you okay?" Clark said as he wrapped an arm around Lex's back.

"What time is it?"

"9:30"

"Then I forgot to eat." Lex replied.

*****

After eating three slices of a pizza loaded with mushrooms, Clark remembered the reason he had come over.

"So, uh, I think it's possible that I wasn't alone on the day of the meteor shower?"

Lex stared at him in surprise.

"Who--" Lex said.

"Ithinktherewasanothershipwithmysisteror cousinnamedCarousel." Clark blurted.

Lex paused.

"Did you see her land?"

"No?"

Lex let out a sigh of relief. If she was dead, then that was one fewer superpowered being running around. Even as a known entity and his best friend, Clark was stressful. He did not want to imagine dealing with two.

"Then why hasn't she come looking for you yet?"

"Maybe when she landed she hit her head and got amnesia?"

"Clark, that only happens in movies."

Clark deflated.

"But I'll look into it."

Clark gave him a blindingly beautiful smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: What a Drain


	5. What a Drain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark and Chloe discuss the Reeves Dam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mucilaginous is a fun word.
> 
> Chloe reminds me of my mom, lol.

**Chapter 5: What a Drain**

Just a week before the start of the school year, an excited Chloe found Clark in front of the school and quickly yanked him into the office of the Torch. Chloe plopped herself into a desk.

"Chloe?" Clark said, confused.

"I need to tell you something!"

Clark sighed."Chloe, I already know about Lana."

"What about Lana?" Chloe asked inquisitively.

"Nevermind." Clark muttered. "Why did you bring me in here then?"

"Oh, nothing much. I think I'm gonna take a little stroll to the Reeves Dam this afternoon…"

"Chloe! That place is restricted!" Clark said, grabbing her forearms.

"Where's your sense of adventure Clark?" Chloe teased, batting her lashes.

Clark rolled his eyes.

"Besides, It's not like I'm doing this for a dare. I was visiting my dad at the plant when Mr. Eastburn came in and started arguing with one of the Luthorcorp guys."

"Why were the Luthorcorp guys there, I thought Lex had his own company now?" Clark said as he let go and took a step back. He crossed his arms.

"Really, Clark? Just because plant #3 is now Lexcorp doesn't change the fact that he still works for his father. Anyway, they really got into it. I don't know if you know this, but Mr. Eastburn used to work at the Reeves Dam, and apparently the blast from the Kawache caves was bad enough to cause a crack or something. Mr. Eastburn was really laying it into the Luthorcorp drudge about how they were trying to cover it up."

"Why would they do that?"

"Duh. It's really bad for morale if it seems like their buildings keep collapsing." Chloe said gleefully.

"And really good for the paper that gets the scoop." Clark said, giving Chloe a knowing look.

"It's like you know me." Chloe winked.

"I wonder what Lex knows." Chloe mused.

"Why would Lex know anything?" Clark asked, tired of his friends always insinuating that Lex was shady.

Chloe laughed.

"Like he doesn't keep track of everything his father does?" Chloe said as she rolled her eyes. She stood up.

"Well, _I'm_ going to go over there to take pictures." 

"Fine. I'm coming along, but if we get into trouble, I get to pick the movie for the next three weeks."

*****

They got to the Reeves Dam and found that it had indeed sprung a leak as they had to wade through ankle deep murky water. After a half hour of stealthily slogging through the mucilaginous terrain and hiding every time they spotted a guard, they finally made it through to the edge of the dam. They looked down and saw that the water levels had dropped to half of what it had been.

There, they found a suspiciously familiar looking metallic ovoid. It was larger than the one Clark had seen before, half submerged in water, and covered in seaweeds and slime. Clark saw the flash of a camera and prayed that Chloe hadn't noticed.

"Clark, look!"

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh - Oh. How's Clark going to get Chloe to ignore the 800 lb. Gorilla?


	6. Is it a Bird, A Plane?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark saw the flash of a camera and prayed that Chloe hadn't noticed.  
> "Clark, look!"
> 
> She noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little later than I intended. I did have a nice birthday though. I got a Zoom meeting with my sister, her hubby and the best niece and nephew in the world. 😁

**Chapter 6: Is it a Bird, A Plane?**

"For the _last time,_ Chloe, it's probably just some sort of experimental airplane." Clark said as they waded towards the spaceship. Chloe ignored him.

"Whatever it is, it's been down here awhile." Chloe said as she touched a piece of algae and wrinkled her nose.

The ship began to shudder, and before they knew it, a beautiful blonde woman flew out of the ship and knocked Chloe on her ass. She took Chloe's professional camera and crunched it under her heel.

Chloe gave her a heartbroken look, but the woman just flew off, saying:

"That's _what you get_ when you touch my stuff."

"Whoa. Sounds like we have ourselves a true-blue Supergirl." Chloe said.

*****

Clark insisted on taking Chloe to the hospital to get checked out. Pete arrived five minutes later and as soon as the doctor left, Pete went into the room and started fussing over Chloe.

Half an hour later Lex arrived with a large bouquet.

"Luthor." Pete said, looking annoyed at the blue hydrangeas in Lex's hand.

Pete nodded at a far more humble bouquet in a cup.

"Sorry." Pete said "fresh out of Solo cups."

"That's okay, I can buy a case at the gift shop."

Clark decided to put an end to the posturing.

"Lex, can we go outside for a minute? I really need to talk to you about something."

*****

Clark and Lex went out of the room and followed a corridor until they found and exit. They went outside to a balcony where the concrete floor was riddled with cigarette butts.

"Clark. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"You can stop looking for my cousin, I think we found her."

*****

Clark returned to the Reeves Dam, and found a forensics team examining the scorched drag marks from a very large object, but no ship or blonde.

He quickly left before anyone spotted him, zooming along the occasional marks until he finally found the ship in a cave in New Mexico. He saw no signs of the blonde Kryptonian, so he left to go check on Chloe.

*****

"Hey, are you all right?" Clark asked after he saw Chloe wince. Chloe had been released from the hospital after they determined that she did not appear to have a concussion. Now she was at home, busy with her computer instead of convalescing.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. But your little Kryptonian gal pal's been showing up all over Lowell County. Have you seen her since she went all space-shuttle?"

"No."

"Well, I-I think she's still grounded, considering these 911 calls coming in. Three different preschools called and reported some blond woman storming in, scaring the children." Chloe replied.

"Where was she last seen?" Clark asked with a grim, determined face.

*****

"What's your name?" Clark heard the blonde ask a dark haired green eyed boy as she grabbed his arm.

"Sam."

She sighed, letting him go and looking down at the ground with a sad expression on her face.

"Whatever you're doing, it stops now." Clark said as he walked towards her.

"You again." she said derisively "You following me?"

Clark realized that she wasn't going to listen without a demonstration, so he grabbed her and sped up until they were over a mile from the school. He came to a stop in a shaded area by some trees.

"Humans can't move that fast, who are you?" she said, perplexed.

"Doesn't matter." Clark said sulkily "I'm not gonna let you hurt one more person."

"That was nothing. I haven't really hurt anyone yet, so don't tempt me."

She started to fly off.

"Carousel!"

She paused and came back down.

"What did you say?"

"Want to tell me what you're doing on Earth? You can trust me. 

"Looking for a small boy." the blonde said, looking uncertain. "I've searched everywhere with no luck."

"This boy have a name?" 

"Kal-El." the blonde said proudly.

"That's my _birth name_." Clark said, shocked.

"You _can't be_ Kal-El. He's a sweet, chubby baby who laughed when you tickled his feet."

"Carousel." Clark whispered in wonderment.

The blonde gave him a small smile and shook her head.

"Actually, it's Kara Zor-El. I used to watch over you. I don't understand. I mean, I left the planet right after you. We were on the same trajectory." Kara said, distressed. 

"Your ship ... it seemed to be underwater for a long time. You must have crash-landed during the meteor shower into the reservoir. When the dam cracked, it finally brought you to the surface."

"How long was I in suspended animation?"

"Fourteen years."

Kara sat down on a rock.

"My embedded learning programs covered a lot of scenarios, but this clearly wasn't one of them." Kara said with a frown.

"Kara, why are you searching for me?"

"My father, Zor-El, told me to find you. That was my mission, unah." 

"Zor-El?" 

"Zor-El and Jor-El are brothers." Kara replied as Clark's eyes grew wide. 

"Then that makes us... cousins. Jor-El never mentioned your dad." 

"He and his brother never talked." Kara admitted.

"Why?" 

"The House of El has a lot of family secrets that nobody ever discussed. As humans would say, we were... dysfunctional." Kara stood up. "Look, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but right now I need to find a place more secure for my ship."

Clark turned towards her and smiled.

"Maybe my friend Lex can help with that."

"You trust this human?" Kara said, the surprise evident in her voice.

"With my life."

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story continues in the Importance of Kindness.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments feed my muse.


End file.
